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(No Model.) 4 sheets-'sheet 1.

W. o. Hmmm. GAMB UOUNTER.

No. 443,279. Patented Dec. 23, 1890*.

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Patented Deo. 23, 1890.

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W..\O. HARDING. GAME COUNTER. No. 443,279.

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WT. HRDNG. GAMB COUNTER.

No. 443,279. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

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(No Model.) {1Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. o. Hmmm. GAME COUNTER.

No. 443,279. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

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EEST FILBLE CORE UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

VILLIAM O. IIARDING, OF NEWT YORK, N. Y.

GAM E-COU NTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,279, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed November 25, 1889. Serial No. 331,487. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. HARDING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Automatic Registering Pool-Rack, of which the following is a true and exact description, due reference being had to the drawings which accompanyv and form part of this specificatiomand in which similar letters and figures denote similar parts.

My invent-ion has for its object to provide a pool-rack of the usual kind to hold on the several shelves of the rack the balls used in playing the game of pool; in other receptacles to hold the small numbered balls used to determine the sequence of play, and beneath the rack 1o provide a receptacle for the triangle used to confine the balls on the table at the commencement of the game and to act as a check on the cashier of the pool-room by registering the number of players in each game and the number of games played.

The operation of the automatic rack is as follows: The balls used in playing are first removed from the shelves. The triangle is then removed from its receptacle under the shelves, and this removal of the triangle causes the back halves of the several shelves to be lowered, the effect of this lowering being to prevent the return of the balls to the shelves before the triangle has been returned to its proper place. In ordinary use, after the balls and the triangle have been removed from the rack, as described above, the balls are inclosed in the triangle on the table in pyramidal shape. In order to determine the order of play, the smaller balls must be removed from their receptacles and distributed to the players, the number on each ball showing the order in which each player shall play. The operation of removing the smaller balls from their receptacles is as hereinafter described. The removal of each smaller ball depresses a wire having a needle at its end near the bottom of the rack. The triangle is vnow returned to its proper place, its return elevating by suitable mechanism a perforated table lying under a continuous roll of paper. This elevation of the table causes the paper to be punctured by the needles, which are at the ends of the wires depressed by the -removal of the smallerballs from their receptacles. This puncturing registers the number of players engaging in the game by the number of holes punctured in the paper. The elevation of the table also causes a disk to be depressed, displaying a zero or a numeral, thus showing at openings in the rack the number of small balls that have been removed. The number of the disks and openings corresponds to the number of small balls. The elevation of the table also locks the puncturing-wires by suitable mechanism hereinafter described, so that none of the small balls which were in their several receptacles at the entrance of the triangle can now be removed therefrom until the triangle has again been removed from its receptacle. The smaller balls which have been removed can, however, be returned to their several receptacles at any time. The entrance of the triangle also causes the continuous strip of paper to move forward by suitable mechanism, and also lifts up the back halves of the several shelves, permitting the placing on them of the balls used in playing when they are removed from the table.

As it is customary to charge a fixed sum for each player taking part in the game, it will thus be seen that my improved register furnishes a ready check upon the person in charge of the pool-table and determines the amount of money which he should be held accountable for. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a front view of my invention, partly broken away at the side to show the mechanism for the withdrawal of the smaller balls, and broken away at the bottom to show the roll of paper passing over the movable.

table and the method of delivery. rlhe movable disks are also shown, displaying the number of players. 2 is a side view of the rack, showing above the openings for the removal of the smaller balls and below being broken away, showing the mechanism for operating the puucturngneedles, and showing the table. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the lines Fig. l. Fig. 4 represents part of the pivoted holder for one small ball. Fig. 5 represents another part of a pivoted holder for one small ball. able perforated table and the locking device connected thereto for locking the puncturing- .IOO

Fig. 6 represents the movwires. Fig. 7 is a top view of the lower (broken away) part of Fig. 1. Fig. S is a front view of the lower part of the rack, showing triangle in place. Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of the mechanism for causing the continuous strip of paper to move forward and for delivering the saine into a receptacle. Fig. 10 is a front view, on a smaller scale than in Fig. 1, of the rack as it appears when in use. Fig. 11 is a front view of an )ther form of the part of holder for one small ball shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a side view of the holder shown in Fig. 1 1. Fig. 1l: is a perspective View of one of the smaller balls, showing the hole to fit on the pin nl..

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Fig. 10, the automatic registering pool-rack is shown with the playingballs on the shelves. lVhen a gaine is to be played, the balls A are removed by the operator from the shelves and placed upon the pool-table. The triangle B is then removed from its receptacle. In this receptacle itis held in place by the grooves a, as shown in Fig. 10. The removal of the triangle B permits the rear `halves of the shelves h to fall, owing to the removal of their support. The rear halves h are connected together by the strip of wood c. (Shown in Fig. 1.) At d there is a pin in this strip attached to the lever e, which lever is pivoted at f, and has the projecting latch g. (Shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.) It is obvious that, if desired, the rear halves of the shelves could be made fixed and the front halves movable. It is evident that the removal of the triangle B will permit the latch g to fall, and thus the strip c is permitted to fall. It is evident from an inspection of Fig. that the playing-balls A cannot be returned to the shelves until the rear halves h are elevated to the position shown by the dotted lines h2 in Fig. 3. The playing-balls A and the triangle B will now ordinarily be in use on the table to arrange the balls for play. In order neXt to determine the order of play, the same number of the smaller balls C (shown in Figs. 2 and 14:) must be withdrawn from the rack as there are players. In the poolrack shown in the drawings there are eight shelves to hold the larger balls used in playing and eight smaller balls to determine the Vorder of play; but it is obvious that the number of shelves and the number of smaller balls can be regulated in the manufacture of the racks, and my invention is equally applicable to a rack having one shelf or one hundred.

Referring to Fic'. 2, in order to withdraw the smaller balls C from the rack, the operator by means of the knob turns the holder D, (shown in Fig. 4,) which is pivoted at'y', until the ball comes Opposite the opening 7.-.j when it is ejected by the spring l. These holders for the smaller balls are pivoted in the compartment of the rack running from the top to the bottom of the rack, at the side thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. These smaller balls (l have holes in them and fit on the pin m. (Shown in Fig. 5.)

The holder D (shown in Fig. l) [its on the holderD,which is pivoted at'j, and is retained in said position and the holder D is retained in its outmost position by pressing against the leaf-spring 20. lhen the holder D is turned, as before described, theholderDpasses from contact with the leaf-spring 20, and is kept in its lower position after the ball is removed by means of the spring n., which is attached to the arm I; of the holder D or D?. The small ball C, when the holder is closed and the ball is on the pin, rests against the concave triangular-shaped piece, which is secured to the side frame, so that the spring will not tend to throw the ball olf the pin when the holder is closed. The holders D have on them the projections o, which depress the puncturingwires p.

In the holder D is an opening` q, which enables the operator, when looking at the side of the rack, to determine whether or not the smaller balls are in place, as shown in Fig. il. The holder D has the jaws 7', which catch the ball when it is onthepin m. Thus when the ball is on the pin m if the holderD be turned by its knob t' the holder D is also turned, carrying with it the ball and projection 0. \Vhen the ball is not on the pin m the holder D can be turned without causing the holder D' er its projection o to move. As a result of this, as will hereinafter be described, if the holder D is turned when the ball is in its receptacle, the pnnctnring-wire p is elevated or depressed. If the ball, is out, the punctnringwire is not moved at all.

In Fig. 11 is shown the holder D2, which is another form of the holder D. For the pin 0a is substituted the cup s. The spring l in the holder D2, instead of striking directly against the ball, acts upon the collar s', which :is connected with the cross-bar s by the arms s, and slides upon the rod s".

In Fig. 12 the ball is notin the cup, and the crossbar s2 is shown in the position it occupies when the ball is in process of ejectment. In Fig. lf3 the ball is in the cup resting on the cross-bar Referring now to Fig. 5, the arm u, having at its end the projection o, descends with the holder D D or D D2, when it is turned by the knob This projection 0 strikes the head 'v of the wire p. The heads 1; of the wires pare all in t-he same vertical line. This is easily accomplished by bending each wire, except the first one, slightly below its head. lVhen lthe head t of the wire p is struck, the wire is depressed and its point p is also depressed. Each one of the wires p p p in Fig. 2 has a head c, as is shown in the case of the wires in the broken-away part of the drawings. In Fig. 2 four of the wires p are depressed. In Figs. l and 8 is shown the spring w on the wires p, the effect of this spring w being to lift the IOO IIO

wire p when the ball C is in its holdei` D D or D D2, and the holder hasbeeny turned by its knob i tothe position shown in the topmost receptacle h, Fig. 2. It is evident that so long as the ball is out the-wire p is kept down by I have now described the mechanism which.

is caused to act by the removal of the triangle from its receptacle, and, secondly, the mechanism which is caused to act by the removal of the smaller balls from their receptacles. I now proceed to describe the mechanism which is causedto act by the insertion.

of the triangle again in its receptacle. Then the triangle B is inserted in its receptacle, it iirst strikes the latch g and then the latch g, elevating each in turn. The elevation of the latch g causes-the mechanism shown-in Fig. 9 to operate. The pawl g2 rotates the ratchet g3, fastened to the cylinder g4, and causes it to rotate. The cylinder g5 may be geared toV the cylinder-g4, but ordinarily the friction will be sufficient to'operat-e it. -This mechanism is also shown in Fig. l,lowerright hand part of the figure. cylinders the continuous strip of paper E passes from the roller F and is delivered into a receptacle G. The strip of paperE is moved forward a uniform distance at each elevationv of the latch g. The strip E passes over the table z, (shown in Figs. 1 and 6,),and is held close to the table by the guides z z2. The withdrawal of the triangle B simply allows the latch g to fall. When the triangle B is inserted in its receptacle, it strikes the latch g, after striking the latch g', and raises the pin d by the arm @,pivoted at f, and depresses the pin d by the arm c', and in turn the pin d depresses one end of the lever e2, pivoted at f', thus elevating the table e, to which the lever e2 is pivoted at f2. This tablez is shown clearly in Fig. 6. It has in it anumberof oriiices z3 corresponding to the number of wires p. On the top of the table are t-he guides z z2,

which hold the paper E close to the table. Attached to the guide .z2 is a locking device, the operation of which will be hereinafter explained. When the table ,a isv elevated, having on its top the paper E, over the orifices z3, the points p of the wires p come opposite the orifices z3, and such wiresp as have been depressed (as hereinbefore described by the withdrawal-of the smaller balls C) enter the orifices z3 and puncture the paper, thus showing by the number of such punctures the number of players engaged in the game.

If the receptacle G is opened at any time, the number of games which have been played since the paper was last inspected and the number of players engaged in each game can be determined, the number of games being shown by the length of the strip in the receptacle, and the number offplayers -being shown by the number of perforations in each divis- Vhen this pressure is removed,

Between these two ion of the strip. The elevation of the table e causes the connecting-rod a4 to turn the locking device I'I from the position: shown in Fig. l, where the table is not elevated, to the position shown in Fig. 8, where the table is elevated. The projections ,z5 go between the wires p, and by means of the collars 102 prevent the wires from being elevated or depressed s'o long as the table z is elevated. The locking device H is supported on the standards 26, which are secured to the floor of the pool-rack, as shown in Fig. 1. A series of wires c2 run from the number-tablets c3 to the table .2, these wires c2 being pivoted at c4 and having flattened-out ends under the orices z3 of the table z. These ends of wires c2 are raised, when the table z is elevated, by the weight of the tablets c3. If any wire p is depressed, the wire c2 strikes against the point p', and therefore the tablet c3 is not so much depressed as it is when the end of the wire c2 under the orifice rises as high as the bottom of the table. If the tablets c3 fall until the ends of the wires c2 strike the bottom ot the table, the zero will be displayed at the openings I in the front of the frame, as shown in Fig. 10. If, however, any wire p is depressed, owing to the ball C having been removed,the end of the wire c2 strikes against this depressed wire, and the disk c3 corresponding to the depressed wire p displays its numeral at the opening I. It is evident that if the smaller balls C are placed in these receptacles, numbered from one to eight, beginning at the top of the rack, the wires p leading to the receptacles h are so arranged with reference to the wires c2 that the numerals on the disk will be displayed which correspond to the numerals on the smaller balls C.

The door J opens into the receptacle G for the removal or inspection of the strip of paper The opening K is to permit the roll F to be seen, so that it may be replenished when necessary.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a pool-rack, shelves divided longitudinally, having one portion iixed andthe other portion being vertically movable.

2. In a pool-rack, shelves divided longitudinally, having one portion iixed and the other portion being vertically movable, the vertically-movable portions of said shelves being connected together, whereby said movable portions move simultaneously.

3. In a pool-rack, in combination, shelves divided longitudinally, having one portion fixed and the other portion being vertically movable, an upright connecting together the said vertically-movable portions, and a lever connected to the said upright.

4. In a pool-rack, in combination, shelves divided longitudinally, having one portion fixed and the other port-ion being vertically movable, an upright connecting together the said vertically-movable portions, a lever con- ICO IIO

nected to the said upright, and a latch projecting from the said lever below the bottom piece of the said pool-rack.

5. In a pool-rack, in combination,shelves divided longitudinally, having one portion fixed and the other portion being vertically movable, an upright connecting together the said vertically-movable portions, a lever connected to the said upright, the said lever being pivoted at its other end, and a latch projecting' from the said lever below the bottom piece of the said pool-rack, the said latch being between the said pivotal point of the said lever and the point where the said lever is connected to the said upright.

6. In a pool-rack, in combination, shelves having a longitudinal portion fixed and a longitndinal portion vertically movable, a movable upright connecting together the said vertically-movable portions, a lever connected to the said movable upright, the said lever being pivoted at its other end, a latch projecting from the said lever below the bottom piece of the said pool-rack, the said latch being between the said pivotal point ot the said lever and the point where the said lever is connected to the said upright, and a triangle resting below the bottom piece of the said pool-rack, all so arranged that when the triangle is in place the latch is raised and the said vertically-movable portions of the shelves are in the same horizontal plane as the said fixed portions of the shelves.

7. In a pool-rack, in combination, the holder D, having the jaws r, and the holder D2, having the cup s.

8. In a pool-rack, in combination, the holder D, having jaws r, and the holder D2, having cup s, collars s, cross-bar s2, and spring u.

9. In a pool-rack, in combination, a holder for the smaller ball, and a punctnring-wire adapted to be struck by the ball-holder, all substantially as shown and described.

IO. In a pool-rack, in combination, a holder for the smaller ball, a puncturing-wire adapted to be struck by the ball-holder, and aspring which causes the punctnring-wire to return to its normal position when the ball-holder is raised.

l1. In a pool-rack,in combination, aholder for the smaller ball,a puncturing-wire adapted to be struck by the ball-holder, a spring to return the puncturing-wire to its normal position, and a locking device to keep the punctnring-wire down when struck, all substantially as shown and described.

j 12. Ina pool-rack, in combination,punctu ring-wires, a locking device for keeping the said wires iixed, and a perforated table, the said locking device being adapted to engage the said puncturing-wires when the perforated table is raised by means of mechanism substantially as shown and described.

13. In a pool-rack, in combination, numbertablets c3, wires c2, wires p, holders D, and mechanism, substantially as described, to operate the holder.

- g4 and g5, ratchet g3, pawl g2,

ll. In a pool-rack, the combination of a holder for the smaller ball, provided with projection o, with the wire p and spring w.

l5. In a pool-rack, the combination of a holder for the smaller ball, provided with projection o, with the wire y?, spring zo, and locking device II.

IG. In a pool-rack, in combination, a holder for the smaller ball, a puncturing-wire adapted to be struck by the ball-holder, a perforated table, and mechanism, substantially as described, to raise said table.

17. In a pool-rack, in combination, holders for the smaller balls, punctnring-wires equal in number to the holders and adapted to be struck by their corresponding ball-holders, a paper strip passed beneath the bottom of said puncturing-wires, and mechanism, substantially as described, for moving 'forward the strip of paper.

1S. In a pool-rack, in combination, a holder Vfor the smaller ball, provided with projection o, wire p, latch g', pawl g2, ratchet g, and cylindcrs g" and gi".

19. In a pool-rack, in combination, a holder for the smaller ball, provided with projection o, wire p, paper-holder F, paper strip E, cylinders g4 and g, ratchet g3, pawl g2, and latch g'.

20. In a pool-rack, in combination, a holder for the smaller ball, provided with projection 0, wire p, paper-holder F, strip E, cylinders latch g', and receptacle G.

2l. In a pool-rack, in combination, a holder for the smaller ball, a puncturing-Wire adapted to be struck by the ball-holder, a strip ot` paper adapted to be punctured by said wire, and mechanism, substantially as shown, to move the said paDer forward.

22. In apool-rack, in combination, puncturing-wires, mechanism, substantially as shown, to depress said Wires, a perforated table, mechanism, substantially as shown, to raise the said table, and paper passed over the said table and adapted to be punctnred by the depression of the puncturing-wires and elevation of the table.

23. In a pool-rack, in combination, wires p, mechanism, substantially as shown, for depressing the wires p, table e', guides z z2, lcver e2, connected to table z, pivoted at f', and connected to lever e by pin CZ', lever c, pivoted y at f, and latch g.

24. In apool-rack, in combination, puncturing-wires p, springs w, locking device II, having projections adapted to engage the col lars w2 of wires p, and mechanism, substantially as shown, to operate locking device ll.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, connty ot' Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, this 22d day ot November, A. D. 1880.

WILLIAM O. IIARDING.

lliitnesses:

FRANK S. BUssER, ABNER J.`DAv1s.

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